- Another heavy day (starting to get tired of saying it, but it is unfortunately true) and not really much else to say about either driving or equipment. Struggling to start as far back as I do because of the dust. Sand and dirt in your face all the way and it's almost impossible to advance past the lies ahead. The sooner you start now, the easier it is to keep your place.

Had also a situation today where a rider with start number 102 (?), Crashed right in front of me. I slowed down to see what happened to him, but he was lying. I turned for help and when I came away I saw that his leg was broken and he was in shock. We have a "red button" that each of motorcyclists can press if you need assistance helicopter, so I helped him push this to get help. Several others just drove past without caring at all, so it's pretty raw and brutal also on human plan here sometimes. I hope I get in. I took the loss for this episode, but it is thus not important.

Good on PAU for this. I'm going to assume, fwiw, that the riders who passed by didn't understand the nature of the injury and/or thought things were under control with PAU there.

Probably the hardest stage of the rally today in Fiambala, we were so lucky that it rained all morning!!! The stage was hard, all sand and some pretty big uphills and downhills. They say that tomorrow's stage will be even tougher!!! Thanks as always to everyone for your support

Paulo Goncalves took second place in the much-feared La Rioja to Fiambalà stage of the Dakar 2013. The Portuguese rider rode an error-free race on the TE449RR by Speedbrain which handled the job of the sandy terrain perfectly. Paulo thus moves up to eleventh place on the overall leader-board.

Alessandro Botturi too, put in a valiant effort struggling throughout the stage with a fractured pinky on his left-hand after yesterday’s fall. Alessandro consolidates his fifth overall position with three days to go, whittling away at the time of Jakes who finished five seconds behind the Italian rider.

Joan "Bang Bang" Barreda was less fortunate, finishing in sixth place. He battled on through the special test with a pain in the left shoulder, as well as an aching hand from a previous fall. Matt Fish, too made up ground coming in twenty-first.

The Husqvarna Rallye Team by Speedbrain thus rounds off another successful day with three out of the first seven riders, and a ninth podium place in eleven days of racing.

Tomorrow it’s back to Chile with the 715 km (447 mile) Fiambalà-Copiapò stage including a 319 km special and a difference in height of some 3000 metres as the stage takes on the Andes.

Paulo Goncalves: ”I rode a great race. I’m pleased for myself and for the whole team who really worked well together in this stage. I was really up for it today, and I’d love to be able to win a stage before it’s over! I’ll keep trying.”

Joan Barreda: “I hit a hole at high speed and felt an intense pain in my left shoulder. I had to slow the pace right down so that it wouldn’t get worse. My hand was playing up a lot too. I hope to feel better for the last three days.”

Alessandro Botturi: “My finger was really causing me a lot of pain. I thought that I wasn’t going to be able to make it, but I hung in there. I’m pleased with the way that it went today. The thing is still wide open.”